Short of selling or burning your house down, the best (?) way to remove wallpaper.
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Normally this subject, which makes me cringe, is one I would leave alone. But, due to a request from a friend, I will attempt to impart as much practical information as possible. Keep this thought uppermost in your mind when you approach wallpaper removal — sorry if you were expecting a reassuring, positive mantra — it’s going to suck!
Seriously, it all depends on how the walls were prepped before the wallpaper was applied, and what type of walls you have – drywall or plaster. If you have plaster walls, the wallpaper is likely stuck very hard. The positive aspect is plaster can take a lot of moisture and scraping. Which is a good thing, because that’s what it will take to remove the wallpaper. If you have drywall, the wallpaper may come off much easier, again it will depend on how the walls were prepped.
So, with out further adieu, the list of steps for wallpaper removal.
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1: Lots of plastic, tape, drop clothes, towels, buckets, and a thin sharp putty knife with rounded edges (remember you want to damage the wall as little as possible). You will need to tape off the baseboard and casings with plastic, and create a trough with towels to catch all of the moisture. You don’t want to damage the moldings in the process. Remove the cover plates from switches and receptacles. It is recommended you turn off the breakers to the area where you will be working. I will leave that to your discretion.
2: Depending on the type of wallpaper, hers’s where it gets tricky, you can attempt to pull off the outer layer. The idea is to find a loose edge, probably around a switch or receptacle, and work from that point. If the top layer (facing) of wallpaper comes off using this method (lucky you), just continue until it is all removed. This will leave the backing on the wall, which will be removed in the next step.
If the facing won’t come off this way – decision time. At this point (depending on the wall material -drywall or plaster), you will need to consider a scoring tool, steamer, or if the whole thing will need to be scraped off strip by tiny strip. If the walls are plaster – you are probably stuck with scraping and sanding. Have fun – it’s going to take a long time. Drywall we can cover in the next section.
3: If pulling off the facing doesn’t work, the next step is a scoring tool or a steamer. I would recommend trying the scoring tool first. Work in a small area and score lightly. After scoring you will need to apply water or a stripping material. If water works, skip the stripper. Whether you use water or stripper, make sure the water is hot, and don’t over-saturate the wall. Let the water or stripper soak in for about ten or fifteen minutes and start scraping. Depending on the results, you should have a pretty good idea of what process is going to be successful. If water or stripper doesn’t work – the next step is a steamer. Again, work in small areas and be aware of possible damage to the drywall.
Once the facing is off, it’s time to tackle the backing. The process for the backing is the same as the facing – just skip the scoring. Water or stripper, and scrape off all of the backing.
Still with me? The hard part is done, time to prep the walls for painting, or if you must – new wallpaper!
4: The wallpaper and backing have been removed, but you still need to remove any glue or residue. This can be done with a sponge and hot soapy water. Once again work in small areas, and don’t over-saturate the walls. You may have to do this a couple of times to ensure all of the glue and residue are gone. The best way to ensure the wall is free of glue and residue – shine a light across wall. Areas that still have glue will appear shiny.
5: The final step is to patch all of the gouges, scrapes, and flaws. The most efficient way to accomplish this is to skim coat with drywall compound. Don’t skimp on this step – the final product will certainly show any flaws. Don’t forget to prime the walls. Especially if you are installing wallpaper.
Good luck.
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Photo/Flickr:JDH Rosewater
So technically Im not a man, BUT Im raising men ( that is why I follow the site) I want to empower them to be anything they want. My sons are still young, my oldest is 13. Besides trying to teach them to be kind , loving , compassionate Im trying to cultivate their love of music, math , jujitsu and art—on top of all of that Im also trying to teach them home repairs. I have one home repair Im stumped on and another that I probably can figure out but would appreciate advice. I have a sink in… Read more »
Thanks !